Name: Octopus Hot Pot
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 8 oz Baby octopus (cleaned); 2 cups Napa cabbage (chopped); 1 cup Mushrooms (sliced); ½ medium Onion (sliced); 2 tablespoons Gochugaru; 1 tablespoon Gochujang; 3 cloves Garlic (minced); 3 cups Anchovy stock

Vladyslava from Kyiv had eaten octopus in Greece — simply grilled, with olive oil and lemon. She had no frame of reference for octopus in a spicy Korean hot pot, bubbling at the table in a communal serving vessel.

Jeongol is the Korean word for hot pot — dishes cooked in a wide, shallow pan and served directly at the table. The presentation is part of the experience: the pot arrives at the table, still bubbling, with the ingredients visible in layers. You eat from the pot, adding rice when the broth level rises.

The octopus cleaning step is essential and often skipped in recipes that don't explain it. Raw baby octopus has a slippery coating that must be removed by rubbing with coarse salt for about a minute and then rinsing thoroughly. After two to three rinses the water should run clear. This step also helps tenderize the exterior.

Octopus has a narrow cooking window similar to squid — three to four minutes in hot broth takes it from raw to perfect. Past five minutes and the texture firms significantly. Past eight minutes and it's approaching rubber. Vladyslava asked me to explain this before we started eating so she'd understand why I watched the pot closely in the final minutes.

She said the texture was entirely different from grilled octopus — more tender, with the spicy broth penetrating the flesh. The napa cabbage and mushrooms in the jeongol absorbed the broth and became as satisfying as the octopus itself. Serving from the pot at the table makes the meal feel communal in a way individual plating doesn't.

Instructions

Clean the octopus by rubbing with coarse salt, then rinse thoroughly. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Tip: Rubbing with salt removes the sliminess. Rinse 2-3 times until the water runs clear.

In a wide pot or Korean hot pot, combine the anchovy stock with gochugaru, gochujang, and garlic. Bring to a boil.

Arrange the napa cabbage, mushrooms, and onion in the pot. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables soften.

Add the octopus pieces on top. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the octopus curls up and turns opaque. Serve at the table directly from the pot.

Tip: Do not overcook the octopus — it becomes tough and chewy. It cooks very quickly.

Octopus Hot Pot

Nakji Jeongol

Prep: 15 minCook: 20 minTotal: 35 minServings: 2

Ingredients

8 oz Baby octopus (cleaned)
2 cups Napa cabbage (chopped)
1 cup Mushrooms (sliced)
½ medium Onion (sliced)
2 tablespoons Gochugaru
1 tablespoon Gochujang
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
3 cups Anchovy stock

Instructions

Clean the octopus by rubbing with coarse salt, then rinse thoroughly. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
In a wide pot or Korean hot pot, combine the anchovy stock with gochugaru, gochujang, and garlic. Bring to a boil.
Arrange the napa cabbage, mushrooms, and onion in the pot. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Add the octopus pieces on top. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the octopus curls up and turns opaque. Serve at the table directly from the pot.